Victim's sister: Killer "used his power for evil"

Victim's sister says gunman "used his power for evil"

By Bob Gardinier

Updated 9:42 pm, Thursday, September 12, 2013

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North Greenbush police charged Rory T. Poulin, 56, with second-degree murder for the death of a woman at 432 Whiteview Road Dec. 3. She was shot in the head in an apparent domestic incident. (provided, North Greenbush police) less

North Greenbush police charged Rory T. Poulin, 56, with second-degree murder for the death of a woman at 432 Whiteview Road Dec. 3. She was shot in the head in an apparent domestic incident. (provided, North ... more

Prosecutors and the victim's family believed that Poulin purposely shot his longtime girlfriend in the face with his Beretta 12-gauge pump action shotgun in the living room of their Whiteview Road home after they had been drinking and arguing on Dec. 3, 2011.

The jury, however, acquitted Poulin of second-degree murder.

"I would like to tell the family that I am extremely, extremely sorry for the terrible accident that happened," Poulin told Ceresia on Thursday.

Someone in the crowd said "accident?"

"This is something I will have to go through every day of my life," Poulin said. "It comes into my life as soon as I open my eyes in the morning. I beg for your forgiveness."

During the weeklong trial, Assistant District Attorney Christa Book presented a case showing that after Poulin and Jordan argued most of the day, he went upstairs to his bedroom and retrieved his shotgun before shooting Jordan in the head at nearly point-blank range.

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Defense Attorney Steve Coffey argued that Poulin's gun accidentally discharged when, in a drunken stupor and with the gun in his hands, he fell back into a futon as he was trying to sit down on it.

"They portrayed my sister as nothing more than a nasty, vulgar person ... " Gianturco said. "This is far from the truth. Rory sits here today and what he left of her fits in a box."

Gianturco said there could be forgiveness if Poulin reforms his ways while in prison.

"There is no question Rory had power and used his power for evil," Gianturco said. "Rory tortured Meg. Rory killed Meg but Rory no longer has any power over Meg. I hope that Rory will use the mercy extended to him by the jury to better himself."

Poulin was also ordered to pay $5,180 in restitution for Jordan's funeral and burial expenses.